Studying Niagara Falls Blvd

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

Slight racism? Kinda like being a little pregnant, I guess? You’re right, I don’t live in the Village but I live in town, and I can walk to eat breakfast lunch and dinner, walk to parks, walk to stores of all types, my kids walked to schools and the town didn’t need exclusionary planning to provide it. It wasn’t Village planning that provided the happenstance that there’s a waterfall in the Village to build parks around. And Glenn Park is managed and maintained by a joint town/village committee so your arguments about the Village people wanting to keep it to themselves support my position that they’re exclusionary in their thinking. Next time you’re in town try renting a car and take a spin around the rest of the town; there’s a sense of place elsewhere and you might find that there are some buildings elsewhere in town, too! The comments raised by the tools are absolutely status and race-tinged.

You made the slight racism claims not me.

Does not have to be your home address but please give me a location in Amherst outside of the Village where you can walk to eat places (notice it is plural) to eat, to the park and go shopping.


I am very familiar with all parts of Amherst and a huge fan/advocate for the Town. You know this because we have been both posting here for close to 10 years. There is nothing like the Village in any part of Amherst. There are tons of potential locations, but they don't exist today.

I think a faux Village can/should be created in Eggertsville, but a shopping plaza is not a Village. I think there are intersections or roads where there is enough density to support the homes being redeveloped into commercial but it's WNY, not Charlotte and there is not the money for it.

So where do you have?

[grump]

Leftie, I didn’t say the racism is slight. It’s a motivating factor in the oppositional stance of many. The Main Street corridor in the vicinity of Harlem & Eggert, the Maple Sheridan area, areas along Transit road north of Main Street, probably others. The point is that there is a core group of decision makers, almost exclusively white liberal Democrats, who use code words to justify and provide cover for what are deliberately exclusionary land use decisions. To say that they moved near a park and therefore are entitled to adopt land use practices deliberately designed to deny access to others they don’t like, which is what you seem to be saying, simply makes my argument.

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

Leftie, I didn’t say the racism is slight. It’s a motivating factor in the oppositional stance of many. The Main Street corridor in the vicinity of Harlem & Eggert, the Maple Sheridan area, areas along Transit road north of Main Street, probably others. The point is that there is a core group of decision makers, almost exclusively white liberal Democrats, who use code words to justify and provide cover for what are deliberately exclusionary land use decisions. To say that they moved near a park and therefore are entitled to adopt land use practices deliberately designed to deny access to others they don’t like, which is what you seem to be saying, simply makes my argument.

The areas near Brunner's Tavern and Loughran's is a nice example of a corner bar. I'll give those to you. Not nearly a Village but a walkable place to eat. Just one place vs many, no shopping and not a park in sight.

I am literally laughing out loud at you suggesting the Maple and Sheridan areas as walkable and comparable to the Village/Main St.

As for the comments about "white liberal Democrats" I would like to point out that 30 years ago it was "white conservative Republicans" and in both cases it was a reach. It's rich people who don't want poor people.

[WNYresident]

If you guys tell me the size of the area they are talking about I'll grab some over head google images to post up. And tell me which cross streets. I will take the google street view and pull views looking each way.

Would be interesting to see what we "study' versus the professionals

[grump]

The areas near Brunner's Tavern and Loughran's is a nice example of a corner bar. I'll give those to you. Not nearly a Village but a walkable place to eat. Just one place vs many, no shopping and not a park in sight.

I am literally laughing out loud at you suggesting the Maple and Sheridan areas as walkable and comparable to the Village/Main St.

As for the comments about "white liberal Democrats" I would like to point out that 30 years ago it was "white conservative Republicans" and in both cases it was a reach. It's rich people who don't want poor people.

Leftie, laugh if you like. I live in the area and see the pedestrian traffic daily. You seem to share the vision of the Village people that only their lifestyle should be validated and, needless to say, validated only for the “select”, or should I say “self selected” like them. As for the white conservative Republicans it was that group that turned Amherst into a 30 year economic success story in the midst of a moribund County that opened up economic opportunity for people of all races and income levels. Now white liberal Democrats are implementing their typical “ I’m on board, pull up the ladder” approach to every social issue.

[grump]

If you guys tell me the size of the area they are talking about I'll grab some over head google images to post up. And tell me which cross streets. I will take the google street view and pull views looking each way.

Would be interesting to see what we "study' versus the professionals

As is typically the case, they don’t even know what they want to study or the scope of it. All that’s really important in the white liberal Democratic mindset is transferring taxpayer money to favored vendors. Il Duce has this down to a fine art as the ongoing trial in NYC is showing.

[WNYresident]

Why do the www.ecdems.com support Cuomo is this is the case?

[grump]

It’s the Democratic mindset...Clinton and Obama raking in millions for giving American uranium to the Russians, Sanders and his wife swindling millions from a bank in Vermont for a bogus “school” she ran and then closed after the millions disappeared, Joe Kennedy, the family patriarch, bonking Gloria Swanson in the 30’s long before poor Harvey Weinstein came along, setting an excellent example for his boys, and on and on.

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

Leftie, laugh if you like. I live in the area and see the pedestrian traffic daily. You seem to share the vision of the Village people that only their lifestyle should be validated and, needless to say, validated only for the “select”, or should I say “self selected” like them.

I am laughing at you because you clearly have no understanding of what is actually being discussed here. You appear to have zero understanding of what an urbanism lifestyle is. It's ok; you only know what it's like to live in a region with a really small city and living from the suburbs. I am not faulting you. You just have no idea as to what you're talking about.

Take a gander at WalkScore.com. It has a pretty simple scoring system that you should be able to follow:

90–100 >> Walker's Paradise > Daily errands do not require a car.
70–89 >> Very Walkable > Most errands can be accomplished on foot.
50–69 >> Somewhat Walkable > Some errands can be accomplished on foot.
25–49 >> Car-Dependent > Most errands require a car.
0–24 >> Car-Dependent > Almost all errands require a car.

The area around The More Pat in the Village scores an 84. The area around Loughran's scores a 69. The area around Brennan's scores a 55. The area around Brunners scores a 46.

Now I know you're of the generation of wanting to drive your car everywhere, but that is not how many people want to live today.

As for the white conservative Republicans it was that group that turned Amherst into a 30-year economic success story in the midst of a moribund County that opened up economic opportunity for people of all races and income levels. Now white liberal Democrats are implementing their typical “ I’m on board, pull up the ladder” approach to every social issue.

I agree with you on the fact that Amherst Republicans focused on what the city would not do and hit home runs year after year for close to a half-century. They I have said similar comments here for 10+ years.

What you don't see is that new urbanism is for the next 50 years what suburbanism was 50 years ago. People still want good schools, safe neighborhoods and all of the things Amherst has been focusing on since the 50s. The difference is people now want in addition to all of this to live in the sense of place.

What you don't grasp is that people don't want to drive everywhere and for everything. It's just a different way of living that is outside of your generation. You're free to wag your finger, as it's expected, but you're just out of touch.

[grump]

You’re right. People still want good schools, safe neighborhoods and all the things Amherst offers. That’s why when they finally grow up they move to Amherst. What is this “sense of place” people talk about when they want to exclude others from their “place” as do people like Kulpa? It’s THEIR place and damned if any of those lower class types are going to mess it up. But don’t fret, if the Democrats control Amherst for 10 years it will be indistinguishable from Buffalo. Then we’ll all have a “sense of place”, the same crime ridden corrupt dump.

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

You’re right. People still want good schools, safe neighborhoods and all the things Amherst offers. That’s why when they finally grow up they move to Amherst. What is this “sense of place” people talk about when they want to exclude others from their “place” as do people like Kulpa? It’s THEIR place and damned if any of those lower class types are going to mess it up.

So when you and your Republican pals didn't allow the subway into the town...that had nothing to do with your racist views back then Grump? You and yours were so open and inclusive...right?

But don’t fret, if the Democrats control Amherst for 10 years it will be indistinguishable from Buffalo. Then we’ll all have a “sense of place”, the same crime ridden corrupt dump.

You realize you're talking out of both holes right? First you say the Democrats are racist because they don't want the blacks in and then you say the Democrats are going to let the blacks in and ruin the town. Which is it?

[grump]

So when you and your Republican pals didn't allow the subway into the town...that had nothing to do with your racist views back then Grump? You and yours were so open and inclusive...right?



You realize you're talking out of both holes right? First you say the Democrats are racist because they don't want the blacks in and then you say the Democrats are going to let the blacks in and ruin the town. Which is it?

No, actually denying subway access had nothing to do with my views because I didn’t live in Amherst then. It had to do, though, with the town board’s recognition that the years long disruption caused by the construction of a white elephant no longer justified by demographics (in fact it never was justified) would ruin the town just like it did to the city. Thirty years’ living proof of that devastation is still there for all to see. I never said the Democrats would ruin the town by letting Blacks in; I said they would ruin the town which they will. They ruined Tonawanda and Cheektowaga and didn’t let have to let Blacks in to do it. In fact, Cheektowaga worked hand in hand with NFTA to keep Blacks away from Galleria Mall until a young Black girl forced to walk blocks from the bus stop to her job at the Mall was killed by a car. Seems that it’s your leap of faith that it takes Blacks to ruin a city, not mine! I might add that, to the extent there is any revitalization along lower Main Street, this revitalization occured directly in the wake of the reintroduction of those hated automobiles that ruin the urban dwellers’ “sense of place” which, apparently only urban dwellers can enjoy! I also might add that the thread is supposed to be about the idiot study proposal for NFB but I take some blame for diverting it by responding to your inquiry about Kulpa.

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

No, actually denying subway access had nothing to do with my views because I didn’t live in Amherst then. It had to do, though, with the town board’s recognition that the years-long disruption caused by the construction of a white elephant no longer justified by demographics (in fact it never was justified) would ruin the town just like it did to the city. Thirty years’ living proof of that devastation is still there for all to see. I never said the Democrats would ruin the town by letting Blacks in; I said they would ruin the town which they will. They ruined Tonawanda and Cheektowaga and didn’t let have to let Blacks in to do it. In fact, Cheektowaga worked for hand in hand with NFTA to keep Blacks away from Galleria Mall until a young Black girl forced to walk blocks from the bus stop to her job at the Mall was killed by a car. It seems that it’s your leap of faith that it takes Blacks to ruin a city, not mine!

Saying this again as someone as far away from a liberal/democrat as you can get but I have to say there is a huge difference between the Democrats that ruined Tonawanda and Cheektowaga compared to the liberal/democrats that exist today. I don't think there is a nice way of putting it but there is a difference between being a rich democrat who wants to solve the world with government funding and a poor one. The biggest difference is performance is demanded. You and I both know that long before TOA residents would allow their schools to fall apart changes would be made. If anything, the TOA has shown it will vote in change agents even if they are incompetent. see. Mohan.

Tonawanda and Cheektowaga have been circling the drain for 20 years, and change will never happen there. All of the change agents have left. Do they even run Republicans in Town races? lol

I also might add that the thread is supposed to be about the idiot study proposal for NFB, but I take some blame for diverting it by responding to your inquiry about Kulpa.

Ya, we went off topic but still had a great conversation. Great conversations don't really happen here anymore.....

I might add that, to the extent, there is any revitalization along lower Main Street, this revitalization occurred directly in the wake of the reintroduction of those hated automobiles that ruin the urban dwellers’ “sense of place” which, apparently only urban dwellers can enjoy!

Come on. Huge difference between lower main street and what's going on in the village. Look at what is going on Hertel and Seneca in the city. It's slow change because Buffalo is still Buffalo but you're seeing the same type of investments that exist in the Village.

What you can't seem to grasp or accept is that people want to live near a corridor of stuff to do that is walking distance from where they live. They still want their driveways and still will have cars but they also want that 'Small Town Main Street' as well.


What I think would be best for the Village is to find a way to build one or two parking ramps along E. Spring Street between N. Cayuga and the Mill. You could do ground floor retail and then have 2 or 3 levels of parking up top.

But I think the Village has every right and a duty to stop Main Street being an expressway between the Thruway and Officer parks on opposite ends of the Village.

[grump]

Leftie, we’re beginning to flagellate a moribund equine here, I guess. Some considered Mohan a change agent. If he was the changes were all for the worse. Amherst has had 3 PH.D.’s hold elective office and each and every one has been a clown. There are those who say that makes me anti-intellectual. Could be but I know horse**** when I see it and I avoid stepping in it wherever possible. I accept that people can live in a corridor where neat stuff like barrooms are in walking distance. Hell, I’ve done that too in my life and in the immortal words of Dwight Yoakam “ sometimes when it gets bad I’ve been known to crawl.” And I don’t object if they want to try to do something with traffic on Main Street. But I listen to the whining and what I hear is that Main st. is an expressway; no, wait...it’s a parking lot; no, wait...it’s both. What it boils down to is a complaint that “others” are using “their” street. And the complaints and attacks about the status of the people brought to town simply have absolutely nothing to do with land use-related issues. They’re ad hominem attacks on people and not on land use policies. They have nothing to do with one’s “sense of place” unless that “place” is to be populated only with people from one’s social and economic status and skin color. And that’s what I see in many of these confrontations over development.

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

Leftie, we’re beginning to flagellate a moribund equine here, I guess. Some considered Mohan a change agent. If he was the changes were all for the worse. Amherst has had 3 PH.D.’s hold elective office and every one has been a clown.

I am not saying those elected were any good. Mohan was an absolute clown. All I was pointed out was elections matter in Amherst. As long as elections matter and it's not just a coronation like in Buffalo or Cheektowaga...things will move forward positively.

I accept that people can live in a corridor where neat stuff like barrooms is within walking distance. But I listen to the whining and what I hear is that Main st. is an expressway; no, wait...it’s a parking lot; no, wait...it’s both.

That's the point. The problem with Main St is that it does not have a southern offset. Sheridan has Maple/Main. Maple has Sheridan/Klien.

The 90 is the problem.

What it boils down to is a complaint that “others” are using “their” street. And the complaints and attacks about the status of the people brought to town simply have absolutely nothing to do with land use-related issues. They’re ad hominem attacks on people and not on land use policies. They have nothing to do with one’s “sense of place” unless that “place” is to be populated only with people from one’s social and economic status and skin color. And that’s what I see in many of these confrontations over development.

I agree with you that it does boil down to “others” are using “their” street, but it's nothing nefarious like you're suggesting. They have issue with employees of Ingram Micro, Northrop Grumman and the other employees of the office parks just beyond the village. Has nothing to do with race or economic status. Hell, the Village actually has lower income levels than the town and the Village has always been know as the working class section of the town.